Electrical delivery systems are commonly used for transferring electrical power and/or electrical signals between moving components, such as for use with the moving components of an electric motor. Such electrical delivery systems eliminate the need for electrical cabling between the moving parts, which may become tangled or wrapped around one or more of the moving components during operation.
Typical electrical delivery systems comprise a brush provided in electrical contact with a track, but the brush and track are not hard-wired together. Accordingly, the brush and track remain in electrical contact with one another even when moved relative to one another. In use, the brush may be mounted to a first component, and the track may be mounted to a second component, enabling electrical power and/or electrical signals to be transferred between the first and second components even when they are moving.
Over time, however, corrosion or other debris may collect on the brush and/or track. For example, cupric and cuprous oxides tend to form on brush and track systems manufactured from copper-based materials. Other debris (e.g., airborne particulates) may also accumulate on the brush and/or track. Accumulation of debris on the brush and/or track acts as an electrical insulator, which may interfere with power and/or signal delivery.
The brush and/or track in these electrical delivery systems may be cleaned periodically, for example, using any of a variety of commercially-available cleaning solutions. However, the use of cleaning solutions introduces a host of other issues. By way of example, some cleaning solutions interact with the brush and/or track to produce further corrosion, or even react to dissolve the brush and/or track. Liquid cleaning solutions are often messy. Chemical-based cleaning solutions introduce potential environmental/disposal problems, and in some circumstances may pose a health risk if not properly used. In addition, the electrical delivery system and associated devices must be taken out of service for cleaning.